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Batman (1989 film)
Batman is the first entry of the Warner Brothers Batman Film Franchise based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Released a month after Batman's 50th anniversary of his comic debut, directed by Tim Burton and the first to star Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Inspired by the earliest issues of ''Detective Comics'' as well as the grittier Batman comics of the 1980s (including the work of Frank Miller and Alan Moore), the film moved the franchise back toward Batman's dark roots and away from the comedic, child-oriented interpretation of the character previously seen in mass media. The film also served as an inspiration for Batman: The Animated Series, because of its dark nature and Academy Award winning production design. The look of the city as well as Batman's new paraphernalia would also impact DC's mainstream comic continuity. Plot The Rise of the Joker Approaching its 200th Anniversary, Gotham City's leaders fear that the high level of criminal activity will deter citizens from attending the celebrations. Gotham's Mayor Borg orders District Attorney Harvey Dent to make the city safe again, in hopes of revitalizing local business. Dent, in turn, targets mob boss Carl Grissom, who sponsors much of the criminal activity within Gotham and has paid off a significant segment of the police force. Meanwhile, a dark vigilante dressed as a bat has attracted the attention of both the police and the local media. Newspaper reporter Alexander Knox is attempting to investigate, but his questions are deflected by skeptical cops, including Lt. Max Eckhardt, one of many police officers on the take from Grissom. After stonewalling Knox, Eckhardt is shown taking a payoff from Grissom's second in command, Jack Napier. Grissom, on discovering that his mistress is involved with Napier, sets him up to be killed by Eckhardt in a raid on Axis Chemicals. The plot is foiled by the arrival of Police Commissioner James Gordon, who wants Napier taken alive, and Batman. Batman captures Napier, but releases him when Bob holds Gordon hostage at gunpoint. Batman vanishes, and in the confusion, Napier shoots and kills Eckhardt, then attempts to shoot a re-emerged Batman. The latter deflects his shot, sending shrapnel into the former's face. Napier falls over a railing into a vat of toxic chemicals. Although surrounded by the police, Batman escapes the scene. Lines Drawn Batman, as we discover, is actually billionaire industrialist Bruce Wayne, an orphan who lives alone in the large mansion Wayne Manor, with only his butler Alfred Pennyworth in attendance. At a fund-raising party, Bruce meets and falls for famous photojournalist Vicki Vale, recently arrived in town to cover the "Bat-Man phenomenon." Napier, in the meantime, is not dead but horribly disfigured, with chalk white skin, emerald green hair, and a permanent ruby red grin (after a botched reconstructive surgery attempt). Already erratic, the trauma has apparently driven him completely insane. Calling himself "The Joker", he kills Grissom and usurps his criminal empire, killing off two of the latter's loyal partners in the process. His first scheme is to spread terror in the city by creating hygiene products that can kill by fatal hilarity when used in certain combinations, laced with a deadly chemical known as "Smylex." Following the death of a news anchor on-air, the city becomes paralyzed with fear. Making war on several fronts, the Joker then sets a trap at the Gotham Museum of Art for Vicki, with whom he has become smitten; his fellows start to slash and deface the entire legacy of Western Art, but as one of them approaches to Francis Bacon's Figure with Meat, the Joker stops him saying "I kinda like this one". The Joker then tries to disfigure our damsel in distress, like he did to Alicia, with the help of his "very special flower", only to have Vicki douse him with water. At this point Batman descends in a shower of glass via the window ceiling and saves Vicki, to whom he then gives the secret of the Joker's chemical combinations. Batman renders her unconscious, and she awakes at home. Incensed at Batman eluding him while taking Vale and ruining his poisoning scheme, the Joker vows to eliminate the mysterious vigilante for interfering with his plans. Realization Vicki's apartment is then the scene of a confrontation between the Joker, who has come to woo her after his former mistress Alicia committed suicide, and Bruce, who has come to try and confess about his double-life but not getting very far. After Bruce challenges the Joker to a fight, the Joker pulls a gun and asks him: "Tell me something, friend. Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moonlight? I always ask that of all my prey. I just like the sound of it". He then shoots Bruce. The Joker then leaves amid his own hoopla, and Vicki is shocked to see that Bruce has disappeared, leaving behind only a metal platter which he used as an impromptu bulletproof vest. At the offices of the Gotham Globe, Knox informs Vicki of disturbing details concerning the death of Bruce Wayne's parents, that they were mugged and murdered right in front of him as a boy. He shows her a photo of him as child being confronted by a young Jim Gordon at the scene, the look on his face haunts her. Vicki has a sudden realization that Bruce is Batman and immediately leaves to confront him at Wayne Manor. At the same time Bruce is studying the same newspaper clipping in the Batcave, having realized Napier is the man who murdered his parents years ago in the alley by the Monarch Theatre. The final clue was that his parents' murderer said the same phrase to him as the Joker said in Vicki's apartment ("Ever dance with the Devil by the pale moonlight?"). As Bruce grapples with this memory, he is shocked by the sudden appearance of Vicki in his secret lair; Alfred having let in her in when she demanded to see Bruce about the issue. Bruce laments that his vigilantism will always take priority over their relationship before leaving to suit up as Batman. Duel of the Freaks The Joker has put his own plans in motion to upstage the city's cancelled anniversary celebrations with a grand spectacle: a night-time parade at which he will dispense $20 million in free cash. Vicki and Knox are there to cover the pandemonium, and they notice strange tanks on the balloons. In the middle of his generosity, the Joker begins gassing the crowd. Batman arrives in the Batwing and snatches the balloons away to carry them out of the city. Furious, the Joker shoots Bob the Goon, his number one thug. Batman returns to make a strafing run on the Joker, who responds by shooting down the jet with an insanely long-barreled revolver. Vicki approaches the downed craft but is captured by the Joker, who leads her to the top of Gotham Cathedral. Dazed but not finished, Batman pursues. At the top of the cathedral, the two adversaries confront each other in single combat. In a moment of opportunity, the Joker throws Batman and Vicki off the belfry, where they cling to the ledge for their lives. As the Joker begins mocking them his helicopter appears and he grabs hold of a dangling rope ladder. About to escape, Batman shoots a wire around the Joker's leg, connecting it to a stone gargoyle on the ledge. As the Joker is lifted away, the wire pulls the gargoyle loose and he plummets to his death. The movie ends with Commissioner Gordon announcing the Gotham police have arrested all the Joker's gang remnants, and unveiling the Batsignal supplied by Batman with a note promising to return if the city needs him. Cast * Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne * Jack Nicholson as The Joker/Jack Napier * Kim Basinger as Vicki Vale * Robert Wuhl as Alexander Knox * Billy Dee Williams as Harvey Dent * Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth * Jack Palance as Carl Grissom * Pat Hingle as Commissioner James Gordon * Jerry Hall as Alicia Hunt * Tracey Walter as Bob the Goon * William Hootkins as Lt. Max Eckhardt * Lee Wallace as Mayor Borg Crew * Tim Burton - Director * Sam Hamm (pre-production script) Warren Skaaren (shooting script), Charles McKeown (uncredited rewrites), and Jonathan Gems (uncredited rewrites) - Writers * Jon Peters and Peter Guber - Producers * Benjamin Melniker and Michael Uslan - Executive Producers (film rights holders) *Chris Kenny - Co-Producer (line producer) * Danny Elfman - Composer ** Prince - Original Songs * Ray Lovejoy - Editor * Roger Pratt - Cinematographer * Anton Furst - Production Designer * Bob Ringwood - Costume Designer **Linda Henrikson - Ms. Basinger's Wardrobe **Vin Burnham - Batsuit Sculptor **Paul Barrett-Brown - Capes and Belt Fabricator * Marion Dougherty - Casting * Peter MacDonald - 2nd Unit Director (most action scenes) * Terry Semel, Bob Daly and Mark Canton - Executive Oversight at Warner Bros. Appearances Individuals (Alphabetical Order) Organizations *Gotham City Crimelords *Joker Goons *Napier Hoods Vehicles *Batmobile *Batwing *Joker Goon Car *Joker's Helicopter *Joker's Van *Gotham City Police Cars *Ambulance *AMC Concord *Caterpillar 900 Series Technology *Batmobile Communicator *Batsignal *Gas Capsules *Spring-Action Reel **Grappling Hook Attachments **Speargun Attachment **Bola Launcher *Zipline Gauntlet Weapons *Batarang *Acid Flower *Joker's joy buzzer *The Joker's Long Barreled Gun *Telescopic Boxing Glove Locations Events *Incident at the Flugelheim *Car chase through the streets of Gotham *200th Anniversary Parade *Skirmish of Gotham Cathedral Miscellaneous *Smylex *Joker's Balloons *Action News *''Footlight Frenzy'' *"Partyman" *"Trust" *Corto Maltese Revolution *Bruce Wayne's Grey Pony *Batman's Pet Fruit Bat Merchandise Gallery Batman_score.jpg|link=Batman (score)|Film score Prince_Batman.jpg|link=Batman (album)|Concept album BatmanMovie1989Novelization.png|link=Batman (1989 Film) Novelization|Novelization Audiobook.jpg|link=|Audiobook BatmanMovie1989ComicAdaptation.jpg|link=Batman (1989 Film) Comic Adaptation|Comic adaptation File:BlueSteelLogo.jpg|link=Batman: The Official Book of the Movie|Batman: The Official Book of the Movie File:Batman-11.jpg|link=Batman: The Video Game (NES)|Batman: The Video Game Cereal.jpg|link=Batman Cereal|Cereal Gallery *See: Batman (1989 film)/Gallery Videos Trailers File:Batman Teaser Trailer|Rare Teaser Trailer (late 1988). File:Batman (1989) Original Trailer|Theatrical Trailer. TV Spots File:Batman 1989 "A Hero In Black" Full Version TV Spot Commercial Trailer Keaton 1989Batman.com|"A Hero in Black". File:Batman 1989 "Critics" TV Spot Commercial Trailer Keaton Nicholson 1989Batman.com|"Critics". Production Development Originally this project was being written by Tom Mankiewicz (the on-set writer of the Superman movies) in the early 80's. Pre-Production When the film was greenlit for production, there was still considerable fan concern that it would emulate the farcical parodying tone of the television series. All of the designs were based on the original Hamm script before significant rewrites when filming began. Many elaborate action scenes were altered or removed completely. As result many Batman gadget props were made that ended up merely decoration in the batcave vault. Casting Burton chose Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman because he thought he could play a dark, tortured Batman and a serious Bruce Wayne. Some people thought that Keaton wasn't built enough for the role of Batman and that he couldn't play a serious role because of his comedic roles in the past. However, before shooting Batman, Keaton worked out for two months and spent some time kickboxing with the help of his stunt double. In spite of Keaton's being cast, Alec Baldwin and Charlie Sheen were also considered for the role. Filming The tone and themes of the film were influenced in part by Alan Moore's Batman: The Killing Joke and Frank Miller's ''Dark Knight'' series. The early Batman comics from late thirties and forties were also an influence. The climax at the Bell Tower was partially inspired by The Phantom of the Opera musical Jon Peters and Jack Nicholson attended while shooting. Promotion Posters thumb|230px|Initial Batman Teaser Poster. The design of the posters and logo were handled by the B.D. Fox ad agency. Renowned poster illustrator John Alvin created a multitude of designs using character images, all unused. Ultimately only Bill Garland's golden Bat-insignia teaser logo was used on the final release poster. Unlike the future sequels no other poster variants were used other than in some foreign markets. Trailer The teaser trailer became so popular that many purchased movie tickets simply to see the trailer. The positive reaction to the trailer inspired a buzz that entered the general popular culture as t-shirts with the Batman symbol sold in large numbers in the weeks before the movie's premiere. Prince Album and Videos Main article: Batman (album) There were two major LPs released in the summer of 1989. The first was the Original Motion Picture Score in May, featuring major cues by composer Danny Elfman. The second was an album by Prince in June, featuring songs from the film (including Partyman, Trust and Scandalous) and others inspired by it like Batdance, the album's leading single. The Prince album has always been released separately from Elfman's Score. Reception Box Office Performance Batman opened in 2,194 cinemas in North America, on June 23rd, 1989. In its opening weekend, it grossed $40,489,746, which, at the time of its release, was a record. The film ended its theatrical run with $251,188,924, and was not only the biggest moneymaker of the year, but was also the fifth highest-grossing film of all time. The film's total worldwide box office gross is $411,348,924,which is about $680 million in 2006 dollars. Batman was the first UK film to be given a '12' certificate but the '12' at that time was a cinema only certificate and for it's video release the rating was upgraded to a '15' certificate which had remained ever since. Critical Analysis Despite the early worries, the film became the second most successful of 1989 and received praise from many Batman readers, especially those who had read the Frank Miller stories that inspired it. Furthermore, Keaton changed many doubters' minds about his casting to become hailed as one of the best actors to play the title role. Critical reaction was mostly positive, with many praising the film for its set design and production value, while others panned it as being too much of an intellectual exercise for Burton and too little of a Batman movie. Roger Ebert gave the film two stars (out of four), remarking, "Batman is a triumph of design over story, style over substance - a great-looking movie with a plot you can't care much about." Hal Hinson of the Washington Post gave a more enthusiastic review calling the film "Dark, haunting and poetic". Despite a mostly positive reaction, many comic book fans took issue with some aspects of the storyline, though, especially the fact that Batman killed Joker's henchmen, while in comics he only acted like that in early issues and was soon established as a superhero that doesn't kill. Many fans also complained that the Joker was portrayed as the killer of Bruce's parents, while in the comics it was an ordinary thug. One of the movie's screenwriters, Sam Hamm, even claimed, during an interview for the film's Special Edition DVD, that the only reason why he didn't protest against that decision was that he was participating in a writers' strike at the time. Some fans, however, thought the idea helped to further establish the parallel between the two characters. Robin was originally written into the earliest drafts of the script. His introduction would take place in the latter portion of the second act, during a chase between Batman and the Joker and his thugs, in which the thugs drive into a local flea market. At the market, the flying Graysons are performing their acrobatic skills to a large crowd. The cars crash through the area, causing the hundreds of people to run away in fear. The Joker's car hits a pole that the Graysons are standing on and causes them to fall off, killing all except one: Robin. Robin joins in the chase screaming "You killed my parents!". At the end of the chase Batman comforts him. This idea was mainly disliked, and rewrites would later remove Robin from the script entirely. The preproduction storyboards for the sequence can be seen on the 2-disc Special Edition DVD. Actor Kiefer Sutherland claimed that he was considered for the role of Robin but turned it down, which he later regretted, calling the it "the coolest movie ever."Kiefer Sutherland Talks 24: The Movie, Turning Down Batman and His New Show ‘Touch’ Awards and Nominations Batman won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (awarded to Anton Furst and Peter Young), making it the first Batman film to win an Oscar until The Dark Knight. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe, two Grammys and several BAFTAs. Deleted Scenes *Michael Keaton has mentioned an extended take of Bruce Wayne in the Batcave. When Bruce removes his glasses and sits back in his chair, going into a trance-like state in order to transition into his Batman persona before heading to the chemical factory.‘Batman’: Michael Keaton on ‘The Dark Knight’ — and a lost scene from 1989 film *In an alternate scene, Batman was held at gunpoint by the police at Axis Chemicals. He raises his hands as if to surrender, but then throws two smoke capsules against the cops to be able to "fly" away. This scene was shot but not used and then reshot. The comic adaptation show the alternative take. *Footage was filmed of Joker pulling Carl Grissom's body from his chair. *After Joker asked "Where does he get those wonderful toys?", he looked at his Goons and commanded "Don't just stand there, go and ask him!" *After fleeing with Vicki Vale from the Flugelheim Museum, a girl got caught in the ensuing attack by Joker's Goons. Batman carried her to safety, and after setting her down the girl asked "Is it Halloween?" in reference to Batman's costume. *Rather than dropping his knife and fleeing, Bob the Goon originally attacked Batman with the knife. Actor Tom Wu appeared as a goon during this alternate scene and never appeared elsewhere in the film. Peters was dissatisfied with the dailies and hired Sken Kaewpadung to play the Swordsman Joker Goon that appears in its place in the final cut. The only known pics of the fight scene with Bob and Batman was on the Topps trading cards, that were released directly before the film was released in theaters. Alternate Ending *Directly after the scene where Commissioner Gordon listens to the Joker's laughing box, there was a scene involving the unconscious Alexander Knox. In an attempt to evade the police Batman puts his cloak over an unconscious Alexander Knox as a distraction. Gordon and the police find him and pull the cape off to reveal Knox instead of Batman. *Originally, the final scene of the movie when the Bat-Signal is unveiled, it was projected agains the cathedral, referencing the more realistic Batsignal in Frank Miller's [[Batman: The Dark Knight|1986 Dark Knight series]]. Gordon and Dent have additional lines, threatening the corrupt cops in the police department. *After the press conference, there is a alternate scene where Vicki goes over to Alfred's car and sees two children dressed as Batman while the Dark Knight himself looks down at them from a ledge. Deleted Scenes Photo Gallery Smoke_capsules.jpg|Batman throws two smoke capsules against the police. JokerGrissom.jpg|The Joker pushes away Carl Grissom's lifeless body from the chair. Go_and_ask_him.jpg|"Don't just stand there, go and ask him!" halloween1.jpg|Batman saves a little girl from the Joker's Goons. Halloween2.jpg|"Is it Halloween?" BobFights.jpg|Bob the Goon attacks Batman with a knife. Bob_the_Goon_vs._Batman.jpg|Bob the Goon vs. Batman. 1347157875_knox-deleted-cape-2.jpg|Gordon finds the Batman cloak. 1347157859_knox-deleted-cape-1.jpg|Gordon discovers Batman's true identity. LS_B89_kids.jpg|Vicki encounters two kids dressed up as Batman. Home Video The film was first released on VHS, Betamax, and Laserdisc in 1989. The film's first release on DVD was in late 1997, shortly after the format debuted; it was a single disc release featuring the ability to watch the film either in widescreen or in full-screen but not featuring any bonus materials, save for sparse production notes and cast info. On top of that, the scene selection menu was a nightmare, with random scenes picked for the menu while the rest were left out. To coincide with the release of Batman Begins on DVD in 2005, Warner Bros decided to give all four of the original Batman films new DVD treatments and special edition versions of all four films were created. The special edition DVDs feature newly restored audio and video, a re-mastered Dolby Digital audio track, a new DTS audio track, and a second disc filled with bonus materials. Each title is available both individually and as part of a pack featuring the special editions of all four films in the franchise. Trivia *This film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense stylized violence, some language and sexual innuendo. The film was originally rated 12 by the BBFC for moderate violence and horror, but later changed the rating to 15. *This movie is the only Batman movie where there is only one supervillain. * October 16: Date on issue of Time that covered Vicki Vale's pictures on the Corto Maltese Revolution, an event ocurred in Frank Miller's [[Batman: The Dark Knight|1986 Dark Knight series]]. * Thursday, October 26: Day news of Thomas and Martha Wayne's murders covered in Gotham Globe. * Friday, November 7: Date given for news of Smylex combos revealed in Gotham Globe. * The original draft of the movie was originally much different, and also included Dick Grayson. Also, Joker's death was completely different, as he was about to finish off Batman (who was battered up from the earlier battles), but Batman decided to try and take The Joker with him by activating a bomb on his belt. Joker then has to try and escape, but is essentially trapped in the clock tower, and has to get on board the chopper to get away from the explosion, and just as he is about to make his escape, a huge swarm of Bats attack the chopper, causing Joker to let go of the ladder to his death. The Chopper was later destroyed by Batman throwing the bomb at it. * In order to combat negative rumors about the production, a theatrical trailer was hastily assembled to be distributed to theaters. To test its effectiveness, Warner Bros. executives showed it at a theater in Westwood, California to an unsuspecting audience. The ninety-second trailer received a standing ovation. Later, it would become a popular bootleg at comic book conventions, and theater owners would report patrons paying full price for movie tickets just to have an opportunity to see the trailer, and leaving before the feature began. * This movie was released the year of Batman's 50th anniversary. * Jon Peters wanted Michael Jackson and George Michael to contribute original songs as "rival factions" taking on different themes like romance, Batman and Joker. * The Joker would've returned in the cancelled fifth film, Batman Unchained, as a hallucination by the Scarecrow's Fear Gas. * Adam West, who played Batman in Batman: The Series, tried to get the role of Batman again in this movie. However, Michael Keaton was hired for the role. Later, West was considered for the role of Thomas Wayne, but David Baxt was hired for the role. Curiously, nineteen years later after the movie's release, West voiced Thomas Wayne in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Quotes ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- References External Links *[http://www.warnerbros.com/batman Batman] at WarnerBros.com *[http://www.dccomics.com/movies/batman-1989 Batman] at DCComics.com *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096895/ Batman] at IMDb *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_(1989_film) Batman] at Wikipedia es:Batman (película de 1989) Category:Films Category:Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology